It came down to the foul line against Neptune, and the Lions U20 boys held their nerve to book a place in the U20 Tournament final in Cork.
With the semi-final hanging in the balance and a strong, deep Neptune side pushing hard, the Limerick Lions U20 boys did the thing that wins tight games. They made their free throws. Sealed in the final minute, that composure carried them into the final of the annual U20 Tournament in Cork.
Getting there had been a slog. The Lions opened the group stage with wins over Cobh and Ballincollig, then lost narrowly to Titans, the first hint of how the day might end. From there they simply kept winning: Blue Demons in the round of 16, Drogheda Wolves in the quarter-final, and then Neptune in the semi. Six games deep before the final even tipped off.
The final brought Titans back round again, the one side to beat them all day. The Lions fought back and stayed in it, but with six games in their legs the tank was running low. Titans had bodies to spare, their depth told in the fourth quarter, and the win went to Cork.
Runners-up, then, after a marathon shift. On a day that asked everything of a young squad, the way they closed out Neptune at the free-throw line is the bit worth remembering.
With the semi on the line, the Lions made their free throws and held their nerve.
Match report